Ca l'Isidre

5 romantic restaurants

Restaurants

Casa Xica

There's a saying in Spanish that translates roughly to 'Small house, big heart', and the owners of Casa Xica (which means Small House in Catalan), Marc and Raquel must have very big hearts indeed. Following an intense period living in China and some delicious and difficult life experiences together, the couple got married and set up this little jewel of an eatery with a bit of help from a third party, Esteve Puertas, a childhood friend and a professional in the world of good service.Marc and Raquel's long trips in search of flavours and palate pleasers you see on the menu in Casa Xica serve as a passport for your taste buds that you can use to explore without leaving your chair in Poble-sec. The easiest way to describe what they do is to call it fusion cooking. But that term has become so overused, and in their case it's more of a compilation of tastes they've learned in faraway lands with their own touch added to tempt even the fussiest of diners.

Wagokoro

Kenia Nakamura and Anna Peray go hand in hand in this welcoming space where kaiseki rules. This Japanese cooking concept varies throughout the year depending on the season and you’ll find the essence of the product on every plate. The pair have developed a harmonious menu, one that is thoughtful, aesthetic, ceremonial, and stripped of any pretentions. It’s not only a gastronomic project but a life project.

Le Cucine Mandarosso

It's great for lunch, sure, but dinner at Le Cucine Mandarosso with a friend or family member could be strange. Very strange. The place exudes a cosy, intimate environment that seems tailor-made for a romantic date. Everything is subtle and casual, with retro furniture, products, and books on the shelves. And Italian cuisine that in itself is the epitome of sensuality. If you still haven't made a move, Le Cucine can help you.

El Pla

Just passing by El Pla you'll see that it's a romantic spot by definition. It's set amid the dark and humid narrow streets of the Barri Gòtic, so when you get there you're well prepared for a place with intimate lighting. Well-managed, the restaurant has got an informal but elegant decor, and the cuisine is of similar criteria. The wines and the desserts more than meet the order of the night.

Torre d'Alta Mar

When talking about seduction and the couple, the surprise factor and a certain slyness can be a turning point. Welcoming your sweetheart at the door in lingerie and a rose between your teeth is always a possibility. But an invitation to a restaurant in the teleferic tower scores extra points, as it's a bit of a whimsy in itself. It's time to put your cards on the table and tell that special someone how you really feel.

The best restaurants in Barcelona for...

Restaurants

Tapas

Where to go for the ultimate in Catalan and Spanish tapas There are menus listing tempting tapas just about everywhere you turn the Catalan capital. The choice can be overwhelming, and nowhere else but Barcelona boasts tapas in such variety - but this can apply to quality as well as the dishes on offer. Here are the restaurants, cafés, bodegas and tapas bars serving the best mini-meals in Barcelona... Quimet i Quimet Packed to the rafters with dusty bottles of wine, this classic but minuscule bar makes up for in tapas what it lacks in space. The specialities are conservas (shellfish preserved in tins), which aren't always to non-Spanish tastes, but the montaditos, sculpted tapas served on bread, are spectacular. Try salmon sashimi with cream cheese, honey and soy, or cod, passata and black olive pâté. Get there early for any chance of a surface on which to put your drink. La Esquinica Think of it not as a trek, but as a quest; queues outside are testament to the great value of the tapas. On especially busy nights you'll be asked to take a number, supermarket-style. Waiters will advise first-timers to start with chocos (creamy squid rings), patatas bravas with allioli, llonganissa sausage and tigres (stuffed mussels). After which the world is your oyster, cockle or clam. La Tieta Chickpeas with prawns, tasty potato omelette, mushrooms with garlic and parsley, amazing olives – the problem is knowing where to start. La Tieta is just a place with a marble bar that offers good win

Creative cuisine

Discover the most original dishes in Barcelona Barcelona can easily compete for the title of world capital of gastronomy, thanks to certain chefs who have raised the bar with their world-class dishes. Do yourself a favour and sample some of these sublime creations from chefs whose job it is to wow you. Dos Palillos Chef Albert Raurich and his team at Dos Palillos ("Two Chopsticks") creatively demonstrate the close links between Asian and Spanish tapas, and at such a high level of quality and innovation that it earned them their first Michelin star. Sitting down to one of their tasting menus treats you to one surprise after another, and each one better than the one before. Gresca A tiny space with a small kitchen staff produces first-class dishes. A must. Rafa Penya is now an indisputable leader in bistronomics. The dishes are creative, but always tasty and recognisable, such as the octopus with Catalan black sausage, the pigeon with ginger, or the mouth-watering omelette made with herbs and wrapped with a paper-thin slice of Catalan bacon. Nectari The young chef Jordi Esteve’s style is based on quality and creativity, and underpinned with tradition. How about some scallops with truffle and fish foam? And save room for dessert, as Esteve's coconut-infused creations, which he came up with when looking for a dish that 'gives the feeling of sitting near a wood fire to stave off a winter's chill'. In more good news for everyone, there's also a menu for coeliacs. Àbac Jordi Cruz

Asian cuisine

Enjoy the variety of Asian cuisine Asian cuisine is much more than sushi and spring rolls. We have selected some of the best Asian restaurants in the city... Indochine Ly Leap A frenzy of Asia-inspired tapas, in which Ly Leap shows off his expertise with spices, citrus and aromatic herbs. This place is crazy: 1000m2 of jungle, where the tables are tiny islands suspended above water, with fish and everything. Mito This restaurant, owned by Chinese from Shanghai, offers an overview of different traditional cuisines from Southeast Asia, combined with innovative cooking styles and fresh, quality produce, with no monosodium glutamate or golden dragons. They make excellent Japanese noodles and an unforgettable duck with soy sauce. Dos Palillos This place demonstrates the close links between Asian and Spanish tapas. Koy Shunka This is Shunka’s twin brother, and is a more sophisticated version; the menu is so extensive that you need to order at least eight dishes to get an idea of all the wonderful things they do here with sushi. Bangkok Cafè Half-delicatessen, half-cafe, this fantastic little Thai restaurant serves delicious Thai curries, heavy on the spiciness. And also excellent Thai beer to cool the inner fires brought on by the curries. Om India Far removed from the sumptuous style of other Indian restaurants (and this is reflected in the price), Om India focuses on the Punjab region, producing dishes that are at the same time simple and generous (and their poppadoms are particu

Seafood

Find out where to eat the best seafood in Barcelona The best seafood From the sea to your plate. Enjoy the freshest products in these selected restaurants. La Mar Salada Chef Marc Singla has taken La Mar Salada beyond being just a typical paella restaurant. His lunchtime menu offers creative cuisine of the highest quality at affordable prices. El Suquet de l'Almirall Barceloneta’s true cuisine, as it should be – the best-known dishes are the cod fritters, but if they have baby squid, then grab a dish, quick! Gamba de la Costa This tastefully renovated eatery has become a magnet for seafood lovers, mainly owing to the quality of the raw materials (don’t leave without trying their prawns and squid). Great fish and seafood. Peixerot The owners of this restaurant are from a renowned family restaurant in Vilanova, and they have come to Barcelona to bring a new concept to the big city: the Paella Club. While continuing with the idea of a menu featuring quality rice and fish dishes, customers who are too much in a hurry – or too lazy – to choose can opt for a Club, which consists of a quick starter and a rice dish, with dessert and wine included, all for a set price. Fishop At this place – a mixture of shop and restaurant – you can eat good fish, right in the middle of Passeig de Gràcia. These beautifully-cooked dishes are a reminder that if the produce is good, then the meal will be perfect. They also have a set sushi menu. Foc Ca la Nuri The new restaurant Ca la Nuri combines grea

Hamburgers

When in Barcelona, don't settle for imported fast food joints or giant themed restaurants casting shadows on La Rambla in your quest for a great burger. Our hunt for perfect patties and fantastic fries turned up more than just those or snooty gourmet versions of the American classic (though a few of those as well). The obsession with fine ingredients that has gripped burger-makers in New York and London for the last few years has caught on in the Catalonian capital too, with happy results: Our 'Best burgers in Barcelona' list includes 1950s-style American diners, signature restaurant versions and even a Russian import, proving that Catalan versions of US cuisines are much more than just a load of old carne picada.Did we miss your favourite Barcelona spot for American-inspired dining? Join the conversation in the comments. El Kiosko Brad Ainsworth, the chef who brought the gourmet burger to Barcelona with his tiny Bacoa, also opened El Kiosko, which is along the same lines but more spacious and comfortable and open onto the street. Try any of the delicious recipes with special chutney sauce, home-cooked fries and you’ll know what I mean. Santa Burg One of the city’s venues that is committed to turning the humble hamburger into a quality dish that is healthy and, above all, delicious. They have a variety of burgers of their own creation, though whenever possible, these are tailored to the customer’s tastes. Don’t miss the Richard Burger, with onion confit, foie gras and e

Sandwiches

Seek out the spots with the best sandwiches Sandwichez This small sandwich chain, set up by the ex-manager of the Vienna bar, serves hot and cold sandwiches made using good ingredients and lots of imagination. The most successful variety is the New Yorker, a pastrami delicacy that includes spinach, mustard and fried onions. The coffee is very good, and the milk is fresh from the farm. There are two other bars in the chain, at Amigó, 63 and Via Augusta, 117. Panino Silvestre The fashion entrepreneur Gonzalo Comellas has reinvented himself as a sandwich entrepreneur. Panino Silvestre is a result of his stays in Milan: They serve real Italian sandwiches, just as they should be; hot outside and cold inside. The sausages are shipped in directly from Milan. You can try delicacies such as the porchetta (roast pork barbecued with honey) and tasty piadinas. Bar Guixot A sandwich, a salad or a crepe for lunch or dinner. So far, nothing new. But for anyone who has never visited the Guixot, what awaits you is a ‘before’ and ‘after’ experience. The sandwiches here come in many different types and delicious combinations (try the Gòtic, which features chicken, avocado, eggplant, brie and mayonnaise). The same goes for the crepes and the salads. The atmosphere is relaxed and the service is excellent. El Jabalí This deli bar, which is reminiscent of Parallel in its heyday, is a great place to eat wonderful tapas-try the patatas bravas, the chicken salad and the cured sausage-while sipping on